At the beginning of June I was lucky enough to pop along to the launch of *Room2, the worlds first Hometel, and I can assure you, it's nothing like you've ever seen before. I actually go by Room2 while travelling to and from work, so after watching the process of it all coming together from afar I was very much looking forwards to seeing the Hometel in all it's glory.
Let's be real, hotel life is not the one. You normally have limited amenities available ( I need an endless tea supply in my room), you have to roll out of that uncomfortable bed on little sleep to go and eat a tolerable breakfast after using possibly the worst shower you've ever come across, right?
Well, this is where the founders of Room2 Rob & Stu have upped the game. They travelled and ended up staying in basic accommodation with no life to it, so they decided to change to hotel world and start Hometels.
Walking into Room2 Southampton you can instantly tell that this isn't any old accommodation, the staff are not held back and expected to act in a certain way, they are able to let their personalities shine through and really make you feel welcome but most importantly, it promotes the relaxed atmosphere you really want.
The first area of the Hometel you will be greeted by is the living room. Now, in most places there are areas for you to relax or even work from, but they are usually empty aren't they? Usually uncomfortable, very white, very basic and very unwelcoming.
That's not the case here, it's comfortable, relaxing and homely. I've even been back a couple of times since launch to work from there because it's the first place I've found that I actually feel comfortable and welcomed to do so.
The interior of the Living Room really is homely, no harsh white or lighting. There's chill music playing in the back ground and beautiful views of Queen's Park & you can see cruise ships that are docked too. The furniture is comfortable and far from basic. There's something to look at in every corner. It's also a pretty large area too, so there's space for lots of people to come and enjoy it, whether it's to work, chill or try some of the treats on the Living Room menu as well as trying the variety of drinks behind the bar.
My sister Alice was there for the full hometel experience so she actually had her own room where she was staying which gave us a chance to go hang and climb all around the room, as well as noticing those little details too. You can read about her experience here.
Now, onto the rooms themselves. This is where the Hometel experience really comes to life. The rooms really do have everything you could possibly need to feel comfortable, and well, at home. Every room comes with a fully equipped kitchen, large king beds, plenty of space to lounge, relax or catch up with some work. There's even space for mezzanine levels, meaning the whole family can stay here comfortably or it could even be the perfect space for a girls get away. With the kitchen in the room it gives you the option to cook yourself the meals you love, or if you don't fancy that you can get a take away to enjoy while lounging on the sofas in your room.
The rooms really are comfortable, spacious and you can actually feel at home here.
I honestly don't think you will find anywhere that would come close to what Room2 Hometels can provide, if you haven't thought of it, they already have.
The comfort of home, away from home.
Until I have an excuse to stay over night here, you'll find me enjoying the Living Room.
Maybe see you there too?
Emily-May x
* this was a complementary experience in return for a review. All words and pictures are of my own, please see disclaimer.
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